Press Release – Porirua City Council
The Lord Mayor title proposed by the independent panel investigating Local Government in the Wellington region will likely be dropped in any proposal for change going forward to the Local Government Commission.

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Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett said that an informal discussion between his council and Greater Wellington Regional Council has indicated the title will go.

“I think most kiwis baulk at the ‘Lord’ business. I can see what the panel was trying to do, which was create a single leadership position to drive progress and be one voice for the Wellington region. I agree that’s essential if we are to have change. I just think we need a title that represents the future, not our colonial past.”

Nick Leggett said most people who had spoken to him liked what the panel proposed, but that the title of Lord Mayor had dominated the debate far too much.

“We shouldn’t be obsessing about titles, we should be looking at the functions of the role. Dropping the title will allow discussion to move on and focus on those parts of the debate that are important.”